PharmEasy Blog

Effects of Tobacco on Health

None of us is ignorant towards the ill-effects of tobacco! But still, many amongst us find it extremely difficult to break free from the dangerous habit of ‘Smoking.’

Smoking is incredibly harmful, and there are no safe ways of going about it. You may replace the cigarette with a hookah or a pipe, but the damage that it will cause can be irreplaceable.

Tobacco Composition

Tobacco is a powerhouse of about 5000 toxic substances. Amongst which, the below three are majorly dangerous:

  1. Nicotine
  2. Tar
  3. Carbon Monoxide

Of these, Nicotine is the one that causes the behavioral effects of tobacco, predominate being, addiction.

While smoking can lead to some ongoing complications over the years, some of its physical effects are rather immediate. Read on to educate yourself on a few of them.

Bronchitis

As you inhale the smoke, you immediately take in the toxins that can damage the lungs. Over time, this can cause chronic and irreversible lung ailments such as:

Infertility

Smoking causes both long and short-term infertility issues in men and women

Anxiousness, anxiety, and irritability

Do you find yourself extremely restless if you miss your cigarette break? Well, the Nicotine withdrawal symptom is responsible for this uncomfortable state of mind.

Wrinkles

Regular smoking causes dry, patchy skin and premature aging. Since smoking also affects the blood flow to the skin, it eventually gets deprived of essential nutrients.

Heart Diseases

Smoking has an adverse impact on the entire cardiovascular system. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to tighten which obstructs the blood flow. Smoking increases the occurrences of blood clots, raises blood pressure and makes the blood vessels weak. These harmful effects are not restricted to chain smokers alone, even secondhand or passive smokers are at equally high risk if they get regular exposure to cigarette smoke.

Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

A rise in Cholesterol levels

Regular smoking lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol and increases the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Along with cholesterol, tobacco also elevates the levels of triglycerides (fats) in the blood.

Digestion related ailments

The probability of contracting Mouth, Larynx, Esophagus, and Mouth cancer increases manifold by regular consumption of tobacco. Studies also suggest that smokers are at high risk of developing Pancreatic cancer.

Sexuality and Reproductive systems

Nicotine is known to impact the blood flow to the genital areas of both – men and women. Thus, men can experience a decrease in sexual performance and women can experience sexual dissatisfaction due to decreased lubrication coupled with an inability to reach orgasm. Tobacco is also known to lower the levels of sex hormones in both males and females.

Loss of appetite

Smoking also affects your appetite by impacting your sense of taste.

Also Read: What Causes Yellow Teeth: Unpacking Oral Health Misconceptions

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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